OCEAN CITY — The stately estate at 2 Barbados Lane could be found in any exclusive, upscale neighborhood in the country, but its location right on Midway Harbor sets it apart, creating a boater’s paradise.
Set on a corner in the Riviera section of America’s Greatest Family Resort, the multi-level home features six bedrooms, five bathrooms and multiple porches overlooking its 45 linear feet of lagoon frontage with a deck and floating dock.
The front facade, which faces Spruce Avenue, features a symmetrical design with multiple peaks on the roofline and a central covered porch with a lofty barrel ceiling. Mulched beds with mature landscaping line the home on each side of the paver brick walkway that splits the grassy yard down the middle.
The 8-foot-tall front door with side panels opens into an elegant foyer, where the Santos mahogany hardwood flooring complements the wood treads and banisters of the curving staircase.
The left wing of the ground floor includes a bedroom, bathroom, a couple of closets and access to the garage, and connects with the kitchen in the rear.
French doors open onto the bedroom, which is filled with abundant natural light via three front windows and a swinging glass door opening onto the side porch.
“The generously sized first-floor bedroom is currently used as a sleeping room but offers the flexibility to serve as a den, television room or additional family room,” listing agent Billy Godfrey said.
On the other side of the stairs, the spacious living room provides views of the lagoon through a curved alcove of windows. Two more flank the gas fireplace, above which hangs a flat-screen television. The tray ceiling has inset lights, setting a mild mood.
Maintaining the open layout, a wide doorway provides access to the dining area and kitchen.
The gourmet kitchen features abundant custom wood cabinets that line two walls and form the base of the two-level center island, which has seating for four. There’s also a wet bet with a copper sink, beverage refrigerator and ice maker alongside the two-door stainless steels refrigerator.
The quartz countertops and tile backsplash are handsome and durable, while the stainless steel appliances are of high quality.
Just steps away, the dining area in the back corner features a long wood table that seats eight. Double swinging glass doors with arched tops open onto the covered back porch overlooking the lagoon, open deck and dock, where there is a boat slip, kayak storage and other accoutrements.
“The extensive waterfront dockage provides exceptional versatility, with multiple slips capable of accommodating two large boats — or potentially three, depending on size — along with jet skis and equipment for a variety of water-sports activities,” Godfrey said.
Back inside, four bedrooms — including two with exceptional features — are located on the second floor.
Set in the front left corner, the second bedroom has a lofty, 20-foot-high ceiling with windows set low and high, creating an amazing space for decorating and enjoying the whimsy.
Behind this room, two more bedrooms connected by a Jack-and-Jill bathroom are two steps down from the main level. In the rear, there’s a hall bathroom and laundry room.
A bridge above the foyer runs across the front of the home, leading to the stairs to the third floor — where there is one final bedroom and access to the rooftop deck — and ultimately to the primary suite.
This relaxing retreat is a great place to hide when the house is full of sticky, sandy children and grumpy teens glued to their iPhones.
The lofty peaked ceiling features rustic wood planks and exposed beams, picking up the distressed look of the flooring. Two accent windows high up in the peak add to the appeal of this space, which has multiple windows overlooking the lagoon and two glass doors opening onto the private deck, a perfect place to watch the sunset with a cold drink in hand as someone else cleans up from dinner.
There’s also a seating area and fireplace just outside the custom bathroom with a dual-sink vanity and tiled shower.
“Designed to take full advantage of its waterfront setting, the home features an expansive TimberTech lagoon-front deck, glass-panel railings and second-floor and rooftop decks offering spectacular sunset views up and down the lagoon,” Godfrey said. “CertainTeed cedar-impression siding, a striking stone chimney and copper metal-roof accents enhance the home’s distinctive exterior.”
In addition to street parking, the parking pad off Barbados Lane can accommodate two cars and the garage has space for a third. The heavily landscaped corner shelters a small sitting area at the foot of the stairs up to the covered side porch, which provides access into the ground floor bedroom.
Ocean City is one of the most popular shore resorts on the East Coast, featuring a 2.5-mile-long oceanfront boardwalk filled with hundreds of shopping, dining and entertainment venues, as well as miles and miles of pristine beaches. There also is an award-winning downtown business district centered on Asbury Avenue and a watersports district around Third Street on Bay Avenue.
A great location doesn’t only mean beachfront or bayfront on this 8-mile-long island — there are 10 distinct neighborhoods, each with its own characteristics.
The Riviera, stretching from 16th Street to Tennessee Avenue along Great Egg Harbor Bay, is a boater’s paradise with many luxurious homes set right on inland lagoons, providing a safe anchorage for pleasure boats as well as a great place to go kayaking or paddle boarding. It’s a destination rather than a throughway, meaning traffic is limited to neighbors and guests.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff